


Exactly What We Need

by Masterofceremonies



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Business AU, Drabble, Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-19 22:26:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5982813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Masterofceremonies/pseuds/Masterofceremonies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i> Mr. Laufeyson? Your 10 o'clock meeting is here. </i>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>THOR BUSINESS AU</p><p>Loki owns a company. Thor still works for his father, who owns a rival company. Negotiations are required. Shockingly, they don't go too well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Exactly What We Need

Loki wasn’t sure how long he had been staring out the window of his office; he only knew that the light glinting off the buildings of the city below had changed from a sprightly glimmer to a steady glare. Hearing a knock at his door, he called out “come in” without turning to look. It was only after the door had opened and footsteps approached that he realized how cliché he must look. A multi-millionaire CEO contemplating the city from his corner office.

He laughed at his own private joke, and the footsteps stopped. A small cough broke the silence, and he glanced over his shoulder to see his secretary looking at him with an expression caught between amusement and concern.

“Mr. Laufeyson? I’m sorry to interrupt your… contemplation, but I wanted to remind you about your 10 o’clock meeting.” Nari glanced down at the tablet in his hands. “You also asked me to remind you to take a few Tylenol beforehand to combat the headache you’re going to get as a result.”

Loki snorted, turning to fully face the other man who was grinning impishly. “You actually remembered?” He asked, incredulously amused.

“I wrote it down.” Nari answered. “I actually think it’s a pretty good idea. You end up taking them afterwards anyway, why not get a head start on the inevitable migraine?”

Loki started to reply, but paused, mouth slightly open as his eyes traveled down, resting on the other man’s feet.

“Are you wearing heels?” He arched an eyebrow, stepping away from the window and moving around his desk to better see Nari’s full ensemble.

“Wedges.” He corrected, turning his foot to show off his black suede ankle boots. Loki paused, staring for a moment before meeting Nari’s gaze with an entirely serious expression.

“I know that occasionally in the past I have commented on your height, but if it’s honestly a source of insecurity I can stop.”

Nari rolled his eyes, putting the hand that wasn’t holding his tablet on his hips. “I did not buy these because of you!” Loki looked at him skeptically. “I bought them because it is way too hard to reach things on high shelves and I am sick of climbing on counters.”

A smile appeared on the CEO’s face and he laughed softly and shook his head. “What happened to those boots you were so fond of?”

“They only added a half-inch. These add 5.”

“You’re going to twist your ankle.”

Nari gave Loki an entirely offended look, as if he had just been accused of some horrible crime. “All due respect, Mr. Laufeyson, but if you honestly think that I can’t sprint down a flight of ice covered stairs in these things than you obviously don’t respect me as a person.” The other man held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, taking a small step back as he chuckled.

“My sincere apologies. I did not mean to underestimate your abilities.”

“Apology accepted.” Nari smiled. “It’s hard not to forgive you when you constantly sound like you swallowed a dictionary.”

“The accent helps.” Loki added with a sly look.

“The accent definitely helps.” Nari assented. “Now, shall we get back to matters at hand, and away from my flawless fashion choice? Or would you like to know where I bought my tie?”

Sitting at his desk, Loki cast a glance at the aforementioned tie. “No, but I would like to know how you tied it like that.” The knot had a fishtail braid-like appearance, much more complicated than Loki’s own simple Windsor.

“It’s called an eldrege knot.” Nari said proudly. “There’s a website called “shirtsmyway” that has a bunch of knot tutorials. I can show you it later. Not that you need any fashion tips.”

“Fashion? No. But I tie my ties in one way only, so changing that once in a while might be interesting. Send me an email with a link attached, will you?” The secretary nodded and tapped at his tablet for a moment in silence before going on.

“Besides your 10 o’clock meeting, you’re supposed to conference call with the accounting team at 3, and you’re supposed to eat lunch with the designer in charge of the new green light campaign.”

Loki sighed, prompting Nari to look up expectantly.“What was the last profit valuation?” He asked after a brief pause. Nari didn’t hesitate before answering.

“3.4 billion.”

“And the valuation for Valhalla Inc.?”

Another quick and direct answer came from the other man.

“1.1 billion.”

“So we’re outpacing them.” Loki’s eyes flashed in triumph.

“Significantly.”

The CEO fell silent once more, sitting back in his chair as his gaze turned distant. Nari waited patiently, knowing enough about his boss to let him speak first.

“Tell the accounting team that unless they have something substantial to report I will not be meeting with them.” He finally snapped back to the task at hand, refocusing on the present instead of lost in thought.

“I think they wanted to ask you to reconsider the merger with Malekith industries.”

“I refuse to do business with that man. Cancel the meeting.”

“I think you’re the only person in the world who’s got the stomach to turn him down.” Nari muttered, almost to himself.

“He’s a sadistic, power-hungry narcissist.”

“His company leads in net profit, not only for the private military sector of business, but for technology overall.”

“His company also takes the lead in the profligate sector of business. Every other week he’s throwing the contents of his trust fund, and the company’s budget into tearing some other business down for nothing but petty reasons.”

“And he makes a lot of money while doing it.”

“He’s been lucky. It won’t last.” Loki waved his hand, effectively ending the conversation. “What else?”

“A few trivial things.” Nari shrugged. “But your 10 o’clock just arrived, and unless you want to keep him waiting on purpose, I think we should let him in.”

Loki’s eyes flicked to the door of his office, as if he could somehow turn it transparent so he could see the approaching man.

            “Making him wait, while entertaining, would most likely add strain to our meeting.” He sighed. “Let him in.” Nari pulled something out of his pocket and set it on the other’s desk before turning on his heel and walking out. Loki looked down to see a small bottle of Tylenol resting on his desk and smiled.

            He managed to dry swallow two of the small white pills before the door too his office burst open, and the focal point of his stress entered, followed by Nari who looked as annoyed as Loki felt.

“You look unwell.” The first words out of the interloper’s mouth had the CEO on edge.

            “Thor Odinson to see you, sir. My apologies, he wouldn’t let me show him in.” His assistant said tersely, glaring at the newcomer with an expression of distaste.

“Thank you Nari. You can go.” The younger man frowned, but left, shutting the door quietly behind him. “Mr. Odinson.” Loki stood and gestured to the chair in front of is desk. “Have a seat.” He didn’t bother to extend a hand to the other, despite his usual policy of formality “I hope this meeting isn’t another attempt to buy me out.”

Thor laughed, a boisterous and disruptive sound that made the other cringe. “Something of the sort.” The man’s accent matched Loki’s, but that was the only thing they shared. Thor seemed to spend more time in the gym than the office, the suit he wore barely concealing his large stature. Loki, by comparison, had more of a tailored look to his body rather than muscular.

Even their hair clashed. Loki’s was pitch black, chin length but swept back and styled close to the nape of his neck, while Thor’s was short, blond, and messy. Their appearances could be summarized as personifications of moon and sun, one tan with sparkling blue eyes and a confident smile, one pale with a green tinted glare and an expression commonly found on snakes before they attacked.

Before Loki could reply, his phone lit up, and he glance at it to see a message from Nari on his screen.

[text] he’s wearing a navy suit with a red tie

[text] is he trying to look American?

[text] cause that’s the wrong way to do it

The CEO smirked, prompting Thor to clear his throat expectantly.

“Am I keeping you from something?” His tone was blunt, and the other man was reminded once more how Thor seemed to be, in every form, an indelicate man. Loki loathed unctuous behavior, and he prided himself on his ability to cut to the quick of the matter, but he held his ability to handle delicate situations in equally high standing. His tongue was as sharp as it was silver.

“No.” Loki replied quickly, tearing his eyes away from the continued messages from Nari, who apparently found a great many faults in Thor’s ensemble. “My apologies.” He took his phone off his desk, placing it in a drawer before leaning forward. “You were telling me why you’re here.”

“I’m here to offer a deal.” Thor said simply.

“You’re here because your father wants you to pressure me into a deal.” Loki corrected him, frowning.

“He’s your father too.” Thor arched an eyebrow, and Loki’s demeanor shifted from mildly annoyed to soul chillingly furious.

“He is not my father.” He gritted out between clenched teeth. “He never was. Allude to the fact again and I’ll have security escort you out.”

“You know I am set to inherit the company.” Thor dropped his voice, as if such privileged information could be overheard easier than other conversation. “Can you not set aside your… distaste for our-” at a glare from Loki, he hastily corrected himself, “for my father, and instead think of what is best for your company?”

“My detestation for you is only slightly overshadowed by my detestation for him. I have no stomach for dealing with either of you, and I refuse to sell my soul for an increased profit margin.” Loki’s voice had taken on a frigid quality, and Thor’s confidence had been replaced by upset.

“If not to help yourself or your company, then why not bury the hatchet as a gesture of goodwill? Our Valhalla Inc. and Laufey corp. have been at each other’s throats since the beginning. It’s bad press, bad business, and a huge thorn in both of our sides.” Thor sighed heavily and leaned forward, his voice taking on a tired, almost desperate tone. “Please, Loki, for old times sake-”

“Assuming that my decision will be affected by some long lost feeling of familial connection is the basest sentimentality.” He barely reacted to Thor’s plea, words detached to the point of cruelty. “Where was that supposed bond when you watched, saying nothing, as I was disowned and cast out, destitute, after being denied my birthright-”

“You can’t bankrupt an entire company!” Thor interjected, temper flaring.

“Why not?” Loran snapped. “After you were ready to tear them apart brick by brick with your bare hands, then go to the press with baseless accusations that would’ve led to massive lawsuits-”

“You were there!” Thor roared and stood, his chair falling to the floor. “You were there and you didn’t even try to stop me-”

Loki raised his voice, ignoring Thor’s interruption as he talked over him, standing in one fluid movement so they were eye to eye once more. “Lawsuits that could have bankrupted the company, all because your massive ego was wounded.”

“I paid for my mistakes.”

“And have not I as well, a thousand times over?” Loki hissed, his voice sounding so broken that it shocked the other into silence. “Did I not suffer enough for your father to forgive me, as he forgave you? Did I not climb out of the abyss I was cast into and build an entire legacy from nothing? What I did, what I was condemned for, was nothing but an unethical blunder. The only repercussion would have been your father’s image, but that, and only that, was why I was treated with such derisiveness.”

“You went against everything he stood for.” Thor said lowly, shaking his head.

“He stands for nothing. He let you crawl back after a pitiful amount of time spent on your own while I was left with nothing for an eternity.

“I thought you lost forever.” Thor’s voice broke and Loki laughed.

“Did you even mourn me?”

“We all did. Our father-”

“YOUR father!” Loki snarled, prompting Thor to cringe. “He did tell you my true parentage, didn’t he? Or did he explain me away as some pathetic orphan he took in as a gesture of good will instead of the offspring of his biggest rival-”

“That doesn’t matter.” Thor shook his head, eyes glinting with something akin to fondness. “We were raised together, we played together, we fought together. Don’t you remember?”

“I remember living in the shade of your greatness” Loki shot back bitterly. “I remember you tossing me aside when I should have inherited what you so brazenly flaunt.”

“So you spurn the company I love in it’s time of need as revenge for your imagined degradation? Valhalla Inc. is under my protection, Loki!”

Loki laughed once more, walking around the desk to a filing cabinet and opening the top drawer. “And you're doing a marvelous job, aren’t you? Profit is falling, PR has turned into a nightmare, the stockholders are furious, all while you scramble to placate disgruntled employees.” Pulling out a stack of files labeled “Valhalla Inc.” he waved them in a mocking display before tossing them onto the desk. Thor glanced at the folder but made no move to look at it’s contents. “I’m going to watch as you run your company into the ground, then buy the entire corporation and sell it for scrap.”

“And will that satisfy you?” Thor asked coldly.

“Satisfaction is not in my nature.”

“Surrender is not in mine.”

There was a tense silence, the two men’s eyes not wavering from one another until Loki broke the stare and turned to gaze out the window.

“After all this time, you come to visit me now? Why?” He asked softly.

“I need your help.” Thor growled. “I wish I could trust you to give it.”

“If you did, you’d be the fool I always took you for.”

“Would it be foolish to follow the advice of our mother?”

“You know nothing of her.” Loki spat. “Nothing.”

“I know I had her trust.”

“Trust? Was that her last admittance to you? Trust? When you let her die?”

“You think I let her die?” Thor snarled. The men were standing no more than a few feet apart, with Thor’s fists clenched, as if ready to swing, and Loki’s hands grasped tightly behind his back like the threat of the larger man attacking him meant nothing.

“You accuse me of idleness when you were the one who sat there-”

“What good were you to her? What could you have done? You were locked up in a cell-”

“Who put me there? WHO PUT ME THERE?” Loki shouted.

“YOU KNOW DAMN WELL WHO! YOU KNOW DAMN WELL!” Thor’s tone matched Loki’s fury exactly, but he stopped himself abruptly, closing his eyes and taking in a long, slow breath through his nose. When he spoke again, his voice was soft but strained. “We shouldn’t fight. She wouldn’t want us to fight.” 

“She wouldn’t exactly be surprised.” Loki muttered, causing Thor to smile bitterly.

“No good will come of this. I’ll leave you to your… private meditations.” Loki didn’t respond, and Thor left, exiting with much less bluster than he had entered with.

The CEO was left in an empty room for all of three seconds before the door opened once more, showing an extremely worried Nari, who rushed in and looked around, assessing the damage.

“Oh thank god.” He breathed, collapsing into the closest chair and pressing a hand to his forehead as he closed his eyes. “Nothing’s broken.”

“You heard our argument.” Loki managed a minute, but sincere, grin.

“Manhattan heard your argument.” Nari corrected him. "I think a few of the new hires wet themselves." Loki chuckled hollowly and moved to sit behind his desk, eyes falling on the folder Thor had neglected to look at.

“Nari.” He said, quietly, the assistant looking up from where he was seated.

“Yes?”

“Did you contact the accountants and tell them I wasn’t interested in a merger?”

“Not yet.” Nari replied slowly. “Why?”

“Because I’m starting to reconsider.” Loki’s smile turned dangerous, prompting Nari to frown.

“What happened to “I refuse to do business with that man” hm? I thought he was a sadistic narcissist.”

“He is.” Loki pulled his Rolodex closer and began searching for a business card he had never though he’d use. “But right now, that’s exactly what we need." 

**Author's Note:**

> So my OC is this random character I thought of. Their name, Nari, is taken from Norse mythology. Nari was the son of Loki who died. His brother, Narfi, was a wolf. Or became a wolf I guess. You can think of Nari as Loki's son who works for him if you want, or you can think of him as some random guy, or maybe Loki's fucking his secretary. 
> 
> If Loki is fucking his secretary, Nari is not his son, obviously. Any incest ships are NOTPs for me.
> 
> But hey, Thor and Loki technically aren't related, so if people like this fic maybe I'll write a drabble where negotiations turn into hot office sex!


End file.
